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Thera 2.2: Pindola-Bharadvaja
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(122):Pindola-Bharadvaja Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =122. Piṇḍola-Bhāradvāja= Reborn in this Buddha-age as the son of the priest to king Udena of Kosambī, he was named Bhāradvāja.1 111 Having learnt the three Vedas, and teaching the hymns with great success to a school of brahmin(priest) youths, the work became distasteful. And leaving them, he went to Rājagaha Seeing there the gifts and favours bestowed on the Monk’s order of the Exalted One(Buddha), he entered the same. He overcame intemperance in diet by the Teacher's methods, and acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge). He upon that announced before the Exalted One that he would answer the questions of any Monks in doubt concerning path or fruit, thus uttering his 'lion's roar.'2 For that reason the Exalted One said of him: 'The chief among my disciples who are lion-roarers is Piṇḍola-Bhāradvāja.' Now there came to him a former friend, a brahmin(priest) of a miserly nature. And the Thera persuaded him to make an offering, handing it over to the Monk’s order. And because the brahmin(priest) believed the Thera was greedy and self-seeking, the latter set himself to instruct him in the privileges of religious gifts, saying: ---- 123 Nayidaɱ anayena jīvitaɱ nāhāro hadayassa santiko,|| Āhāraṭṭhitiko samussayo iti disvāna carāmi esanaɱ.|| || 124 Paŋkoti hi naɱ pavedayuɱ yāyaɱ vandanapūjanā kulesu,|| Sukhumaɱ sabbaɱ darullahaɱ sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho' ti.|| || Itthaɱ sudaɱ āyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo thero gāthāyo abhāsitthā' ti.| ---- 123 Not without rule and method must we live. But food as such is never near my heart. 'By nutriment the body is sustained':3 This do I know, and hence my quest for alms. 124 'A treacherous bog' it is: - the wise know well: These bows and gifts and treats from wealthy folk. it is like steel splinter bedded in the flesh, For foolish monks hard to extricate.4 ---- 1 Bhāradvāja seems to have been the name of a brahmin(priest) clan, though here given as a personal name (S. Vibh., p. 6; Saŋy., i. 160). Hence either Piṇḍola is the personal name, or it is a soubriquet, analogous to our 'chunks,' associated with his earlier greedy habits. His perfected self-mastery is the theme in Udāna iv. 6. He is persecuted for preaching by King Udena (Jāt., iv. 375), but is subsequently consulted by the latter, who reforms his ways (Saŋy., iv. 110). He is rebuked for cheaply performing a miracle (Vinaya Texts, iii. 78). Two untraced stanzas of his are quoted (Milinda, ii. 335, 345). 2 The usual idiom for an affirmation of competence or readiness to act (Ang. Nik., i. 23). 3 Included in the orthodox dictum: 'All beings are sustained by nutriment' (Dīgha Nik., iii. 211; Khuddaka Pāṭha). 4 See verses 495, 1053. Cf. Jātaka, iv. 222 (text). ---- =2.1-2 122 Commentary on the stanza of Pinḍolabhāradvājatthera= The Stanza starting with: Nayidaṃ anayena constitutes that of the venerable Thera Pinḍola Bhāradvāja. What is the origin? It is said that this one was reborn in the womb of a lion at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara and lived in a hill-cave. The Blessed One, in order to make up uplift (anuggha) to him, entered the lion’s lair in the cave at the time of the latter’s departure for pasture and sat Himself down after having entered upon the cessation (nirodha) meditation. The lion captured his pasture, returned home, saw the Blessed One at the cave-door, became glad and joyful, made his reverentail offering to him with aquatic and dry-land flowers, had his mind become pleasantly pious, and stood with awareness relating to Buddha roaring the lion’s roar, in the three watches of the night (tīsu velāsu), in order to dispel dangerous beasts (vāḷamige apanetuṃ) in the forest for the purpose of keeping watch over the Blessed One. According as he did on the first day, in the same way, the lion made his reverential offering for seven days. With the lapse of seven days, the Blessed One rose up from His cessation (nirodha) meditation, and saying; “This much of sufficing qualification (upanisayyo) will turn out to be (vattissati) for this one, “proceeded (pakkhanditvā) into the sky while the lion was still looking on, and reached His monastery even. Similar to Pālileyyaka elephant, the lion, being not able to bear up his agnoy (dukkha) of separation (viyoga) from Buddha, died and was reborn in an abundantly wealthy family in the city of Haṃsavatī. On having come of age, he went to the monastery along with the citizens, listened to the teaching of the truth, made a great offering for seven days, did meritorious deeds as long as he lived, wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths now and then among divine and human beings and was reborn as the son of the private chaplain (purohita) of king Utena in Kosambī. He was known by the name of Bhāradvāja. On having come of age he acquired the knowledge of three vedas and was teaching the charms (manta) to five hundred youths; owing to the nature (sabhāva) of great value (mahaggha) and because of uncongenial (ananurūpa) conduct (ācāra), he was all round avoided (pariccajanto) by them, went to Rājagaha, found out the gain and honour (sakkāra) accruing to the Blessed One as well as the clergy of monks, became a monk in the dispensation (of Buddha), did not know his proper limit in eating, and kept wandering about. On having been established in his knowledge of proper limit by the Master in His own way (upāyena), He placed himself in the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā) and became an Arahant with six sorts of higher-knowledge (abhiññā) but before long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “A deer-hunter, (lion), formerly, I was, wandering about, then, in the forest; I saw Buddha, free from stain (virajaṃ), proficient (pāraguṃ) in all truths (dhamma). Having plucked the fruit of the Piyal tree, I offered the same to the best Buddha. I was piously pleased with His cultivation of merit (puññakkhetta). It was in the thirty first aeon (kappa), previous to the present, that I then offered the fruit. I do not remember any evil existence (duggati); this is the fruitful result of fruit offering. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, become an Arahant with six sorts of higher-knowledge, he said to himself: “From the presence of the Blessed One, whatever there is which ought to be attained by disciples had been attained by me,” and amidst the clergy of monks, he roared the lion’s roar thus:– “Let him, who has doubt in the right path (magga) and its fruition (phala) ask me.” On that account, the Blessed One placed him at this foremost place (etadagga) thus: “O monk! This one is the chief (etadaggaṃ), of my disciples, monks who are roarers of lion’s roar, namely, this Pinḍola Bhāradvāja.” One day, being sympathised with a hertic brahmin who happened to be selfish (macchariṃ), and his associate at the time he was a lay man, and who had come towards his presence, he taught to him the doctrine on charity (dānakathaṃ), and although the latter frowned (bhākuṭiṃ katvāpi), thinking thus: “This one is desirious of ruining my wealth;” and on being told: “I offer a meal to you,” he had it offered (parināmesi) to the clergy (Saṅgha) saying thus: “Give it to the clergy, not to me. Again, when dissatisfaction (appaccaya) was made manifest (pakāsita) by the brahmin (thinking thus:–) “This one is desirous of (kāmo) my making much offering,” on the second day, the Thera made him piously pleased by making manifest (pakāsanena) and state of great fruition (mahapphalabhāva) of the expiatory offering (dakkhināya) in relation to (gata) the clergy by the commander-in-chief of the truth (dhamma), and spoke two stanzas, saying to himself:– “This brahmin thinks that I urged him in his making of offering owing to my greed (gedha) for nourishment (āhāra); he does not, however, understand the condition of my having all-round knowledge, in every respect, of nourishments, now, I am going to let him know:– 123. “This life is not led without systenatic method (naya); nourish- ment is not the tranquiliser of the heart; the accumulated body (samussayo), subsists on nourishment (āharaṭṭhitiko); having found out thus, I go about (carāmi) in search of alms-food (esana). 124. This payment of homage (vandanā) and reverential offering (pūjanā) among house-holders (kulesu) are, indeed, said to be (avekayuṃ) mud (paṅka); fine (sukhuma) thorn (salla) is difficult to be extracted (durubbahaṃ); respectful offering (sakkāro) is diffi- cult to be discarded (dujjaho) by a bad man (kāpurisa). There, Nayidaṃ anayena jīvitaṃ is to be construed thus:– This life led by me does not happen without method (anaya), without right conduct (ñāya), nor for seeking bamboo charity (veḷudāna), flower offering and so on, because of the absence (abhāvato) of longing for (nikanti) life (jīvita) Nāhāro hadayassa santiko means: the food (āhāro) which is brought (āhariyamāno) does not become the maker of calmness of heart and mind like unto the knowledge of the right path (magga) and fruition (phala); wholly (kevalaṃ), however, it merely (mattaṃ) wards off (paṭighāta) hunger (khuda) quickly (sajjukaṃ); thus, is the significance. In other words, Nāhāro hadayassa santiko means: the food which is the material (vatthu) for taste-craving (rasatanhā) is not in the presence (santiko) of my heart nor attached to it, because of the absence of the very taste-craving. (Scholars) read as “Santike” also. Indeed, whoever is greedy for food, he wanders about in pursuit of gain and respectful offering (sakkāra); his food is known to be in the presence of his heart, because of the fact that he would always be mindful (of food). On the other hand, whoever had all round understood the food, he had his desire and attachment (rāga) there removed (pahīma); the food is not known to be in the presence of his heart, owing to the absence of but such mindfulness as: “Indeed, how would I get?” and so on. If, indeed, there does not exist any longing (nikanti) for life and taste-craving for food, then, why do you wander about for alms-food? Making himself mindful of the question (anuyogaṃ) thus, he said: “Ahāraṭṭhitiko samussayo; iti disyāna carāmi esanaṃ,” which is to be construed:– eating of food is the condition (ṭhāna) of keeping up (ṭhiti) and means (paccaya) for this; thus, āhāraṭṭhitiko (subsisting on food). I make the seeking of alms-food, I wander about in search of the same, after having placed this purpose (atthaṃ) in my wisdon (buddhi), having understood in this manner, after having seen thus; “The body (kāyo) is the accumulation (samussayo), whose behavior (vutti) is dependent on (paṭibaddha) food;” thus, is the meaning. He spoke a stanza starting with “Paṅko” in order to show thus: “It ought not to be thought among monks like me in this manner: In approaching household families aiming at (nimittaṃ) ecclesiastical essentials (paccaya) he is bound up (bajjhati) by paying of homage, making of reverential offerings, getting of gains and respectful offerings (sakkāma), there. The meaning of that stanza is:– yā ayaṃ means: to the monks who have approached hinting at (nimittaṃ) ecclesiastical essentials (paccaya); kulesu means: among dwellers in houses, there will occur (pavattissati) making of praise (guna) and reverence (sambhāvana) as well as pūjanā reverential offering; just because Buddha and other sages avedayuṃ (made known). announced (abbhaññāsuṃ) or informed (pavedesuṃ) as paṅko, mud (kaddamo) because it had the meaning (attha) of causing the sinking (osīdāpana) as well because it makes the condition of being dirty to those who had not developed their minds (abhāvitattanaṃ), on that account, that (reverential offering) does not become the bondage (bandha) for good people (sappurisānaṃ) since they had ‘right at the earliest’ (pageve) eliminated (pahīna) the longing desire (āsā) for respectful offering (sakkāra). On the other hand, the longing desire (āsā) for respectful offering (sakkāra) of the wicked people, because of its nature of being difficult to clearly understand (duviññeyyasabhāvatāya), since it gives rise (jananato) to painful oppression (pīḷa), by piercing (tudanato) inside (anto) and as it is not possible to have it extracted (uddharituṃ), also, (it is) sukhumaṃ sallaṃ durubbahaṃ (a fine thorn difficult to drive out). Thereafter even, on that account, sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho (respectful offering is difficult of discarding by an bad man): because he has not entered upon (appaṭipajjanato) the practice for the apt attainment (paṭipatti) of elimination of it, it is difficult to drive it out: there is elimination of (pahīno) by the abandonment of longing desire for respectful offering (sakkārāsā). On having heard about it, the brahmin became piously pleased with the Thera. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Pinḍola Bhāradvāja is complete. ----